Why the Trade Benefits the Philadelphia 76ers
If the Philadelphia 76ers want to go ‘all-in’ to compete for an NBA championship in 2020-21, making a play for a perennial MVP candidate like James Harden would certainly help.
So far, the combination of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid hasn’t quite gotten it done. It’s still too early to give a declaration stating that the duo would never become one of the NBA’s best. However, it’s not quite as guaranteed as having one of the top centers paired with a playmaker like Harden.
With NBA offenses so predicated on high ball screens and attacking mismatches, both Embiid and Harden would be better than any combination in the league at it. Yes, that even includes LeBron James and Anthony Davis with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Right now, there are real limitations to Simmons’ scoring repertoire that do not occur with Harden. Granted, the perimeter defense of Simmons is phenomenal and there would be a real decline there. Regardless, it would be a considerable net positive for the 76ers.
